HealthStickler » basil salad http://www.everfitquest.com The Discipline Of Health Conscious Living Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:42:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Basil http://www.everfitquest.com/2009/07/basil/ http://www.everfitquest.com/2009/07/basil/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:48:04 +0000 Warren Francis http://www.everfitquest.com/?p=79 Basil is an herb belonging to the mint family, Lamiaceae.  The name is of Greek origin an means “royalty”.  Basil comes in many different varieties, different in shape, size, and color.  Large-leaf   Italian sweet, tiny-leaf bush, Thai, lemon, and African blue are the most common cooking varieties.

Why Eat Basil?

Basil is rich in rosmarinic and caffeic acid, which are phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant properties.  Other phytochemicals in basil include orientin and vicerin, flavonoids that protect cells from damage; volatile oils, such as camphor and 1,8-cineole, that have antibacterial properties; and carotenoids such as beta-carotene.

ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES:  Oil of basil has demonstrated strong antibacterial traits, even with antibiotic-resistant types.  It has been found particularly effective in killing harmful bacteria found in produce.  Next time you order a salad out, ask for lots of basil.

Fresh Basil leaf

Fresh Basil leaf

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